Residents and traders in the Afram Plains and Volta Region are calling on the government to urgently provide a new pantoon for transportation across the Volta Lake, as the existing vessel continues to experience frequent breakdowns, causing severe disruptions to business and daily travel.
Hon. Kpeli Worlase Esq., Member of Parliament (MP) for Afram Plains North, recently visited the Volta Lake to assess the condition of the pantoon that ferries people and goods between Kpando and Afram Plains.
His findings painted a dire picture of an essential transportation system on the brink of collapse, leaving thousands of residents stranded and businesses in distress.
Frequent Breakdowns, Delays, and Safety Concerns
According to Hon. Worlase, the state of the pantoon has turned what should be a smooth journey into a frustrating one-way trip, as travellers are often forced to find alternative routes due to mechanical failures.
Many residents and traders rely on the pantoon for business, as traveling through Kwahu North by road is a significantly longer and costlier alternative.
However, the failure of the Volta Lake Transport Company, the state agency responsible for managing and maintaining the vessel, has left passengers facing dangerous and unreliable crossings.
“It is worrying,” Hon. Worlase stated. “The pantoon has broken down in the middle of the lake over ten times, affecting business and endangering lives. The bureaucratic system for repairing the pantoon is too slow. You can’t make an urgent call and have engineers come to fix it immediately. If Volta Lake Transport cannot properly maintain this pantoon, then we are in serious trouble.”
Overcrowding and Long Delays
Due to the repeated failures of the pantoon, many travellers are resorting to the use of boats, despite serious safety concerns.
Reports indicate that between 500 to 600 people are often crammed onto boats in an effort to cross the lake, raising fears of potential accidents.
The lack of a proper landing site further complicates the situation, as it takes the potoon three to four hours to offload and reload passengers before making another trip.
Traders lament that this delay significantly affects their businesses, as they are unable to transport goods on time.
“The pantoon broke down in the middle of the lake, and we were stranded for hours,” one trader said. “For them to come to our aid, it took almost the entire day. We are pleading for urgent government intervention.”
Call for a Second Pantoon and Urgent Repairs
Residents and business owners have made an urgent appeal to the Minister for Transport to step in and provide another pantoon or replace the faulty one entirely.
“We need two pantoons to run shifts on the lake to ensure the smooth movement of people and goods,” one resident stated. “The current engine is in a terrible state, and the pantoon often overloads, posing a great risk to all of us.”
While residents acknowledged the MP’s efforts in creating a landing site for the pantoon, they insisted that without a reliable vessel, their struggles will persist.
Hon. Worlase assured the people of Afram Plains that he will raise the matter before Parliament, calling for urgent policy direction to manage and sustain the pantoon service.
“The government must act now,” he urged. “If we do not address this issue quickly, thousands of lives and businesses will continue to suffer.”
The plea from Afram Plains residents highlights the critical role the Volta Lake transportation system plays in the region’s economy.
Until swift action is taken, traders, commuters, and families will remain at the mercy of an unreliable and potentially hazardous mode of transport.
